RU2459604C2 - Tampon and method of tampon manufacturing - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: medicine.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to medicine. Tampon with introduced end and back end consists of pressed hygroscopic strap (2) with breadth (B) and length (L), corresponding to length (L) of strap (2) edges and approximately to length of ready tampon between introduced end and back end, and brought out from back end return thread (3). Return thread (3) in form of loop is wound once around strap (2), approximately, in the middle of breadth (B) in direction of length (L) and is provided on its back free end with knot (9). Strap in case of the same length (L) is folded in zigzag way into several layers, between which several bends (16, 17) are formed, and on each side of loop one bend (16, 17) is made. Invention also includes method of claimed tampon manufacturing, which consists of the following stages: a) cutting of hygroscopic strap (2); b) placement of return thread (3) in form of wound around strap (2) loop; c) pressing of strap (2) between, moving on each other bottoms (7) with formation of bend (16, 17) of strap (2) on each side of loop (4).

EFFECT: group of inventions reduces time of tampon manufacturing.

11 cl, 7 dwg

Description

This invention relates to a tampon with an insertion end and a rear end, consisting of a compressed absorbent strip and brought out from the rear end of the return thread. In addition, the invention relates to a method for manufacturing a tampon from an absorbent strip connected to a return thread.

In modern so-called tampons-applicators, in which the tampon itself is located inside the sleeve and is used by shifting the stem, the return thread necessary for the subsequent removal of the used tampon is fixed by sewing on the absorbent material of the tampon. In the manufacture of the swab, a hygroscopic strip serves as the starting material onto which the return thread is sewn. Then, in the immediate next step, the tampon is shaped from the original strip shape into an approximately cylindrical final shape under pressure.

Flashing the return thread to the hygroscopic strip of the swab proved to be disadvantageous. Since sewing machines have limitations in relation to achievable sewing speeds, it becomes impossible to intensify the manufacturing process for manufacturing tampons higher than the speed of the sewing machine, and therefore to achieve a shorter manufacturing time.

Therefore, the objective of the proposed invention is a tampon, as well as a method for its manufacture, characterized by a shortened production cycle.

To solve this problem with respect to the tampon, it is proposed that the return thread in the form of a loop is circled around the strip and that the strip to each side of the loop is provided with an inflection.

Laying the return thread on a hygroscopic strip with the formation of a loop circled around the strip allows you to achieve a high production speed or cycle time during the production of the tampon applicator. The loop causes preliminary fixing of the return thread. During the immediate next pressing of the tampon applicator, bends occur in the strip material, limiting the mobility of the return thread, and as a result, slipping or loss of thread can no longer occur at this stage.

For additional fixing of the return thread, connection methods are used, for example, a welding method is taken into account. First of all, welding is suitable for this by means of heated pressing parts, ultrasound, by means of a laser, etc. But also for an even better connection of the return tape with the subsequently deformed strip, the gluing process is also suitable.

Preferably, the hygroscopic strip consists of a liquid-accumulating fiber tape, a tape of non-woven fabric or a cotton strip and its surrounding sheath. The fibrous tape provided inside the strip accumulates the liquid flowing through the shell.

In addition, for breaking strength, it is preferable if the return thread is welded or glued to the strip along both the upper side of the strip and along its lower side.

In relation to the method for solving this problem, a method for manufacturing a tampon from a hygroscopic strip connected to a return thread is proposed, comprising the following steps:

a) Cutting the absorbent strip into segments of a given length;

b) the placement of the return thread in the form of a loop around the strip of loop,

c) Pressing the strip between the shoes moving towards each other with the formation of a kink of the strip relative to each side of the loop.

In this way, it is possible to achieve a significantly higher manufacturing speed compared to the prior art, i.e. more shortened manufacturing time per swab.

The following is an explanation of the details and advantages of the proposed swab, as well as the proposed method for its manufacture using the attached drawings.

The drawings show:

Figure 1 - A perspective image of the manufacture of endless material from which, respectively:

Figure 2 - cut off individual hygroscopic strips,

Figure 3 - four different shapes of strips (figa-3d),

Figure 4 - layout for welding the return thread with a strip, a perspective view,

Figure 5 - shaping the tampon-applicator directed to each other by the action of pressure in the individual steps of figa, 5b and 5c.

Figure 1 first shows the manufacture of an endless material 5, from which, in the next steps of manufacture, a hygroscopic strip 2 for manufacturing a tampon 1 for use in a tampon applicator is separated. The endless material 5 consists of a liquid absorbent fibrous tape or a cotton strip 2a, as well as a sheath 2b surrounding the tape. The cotton web 2a has an approximately multifaceted or oval cross-section, while the casing 2b is a relatively thin, liquid-permeable film or membrane. The wrapping of the fibrous tape or cotton strip 2a occurs through the relative movement of the cotton strip 2a, as well as the film 2b relative to the two shoes 14, 15 of the device, as a result of which the sheath 2b is wrapped around the cotton strip 2a in the same way as the stanoli around the chewing gum strip.

The endless material 5 thus prepared is brought in the next manufacturing step to one or even several knives 13 separating the absorbent strip 2 from the endless material 5. A plurality of different knives as well as various knife arrangements are assumed as knives 13.

Figs 3a-3d show a view of several hygroscopic strips 2. The strips 2 shown in Figs 3a and 3d are approximately cubic, and the stripe shown in Fig. 3a is provided on one side of the longitudinally extending strip with a short slot 10 for pinching the loop 4 formed return thread 3. Loop 4 is pinched in the area of its turning point. The strip 2 shown in FIG. 3d is also provided with such a slot or notch 10. In contrast to the strips 2 shown in FIG. 3a and FIG. 3b, the strip 2 in FIG. 3c and FIG. 3d is not in a cubic-rectangular shape, but in approximately in the form of a shovel.

All strips 2 have a length L as well as a width B. In addition, it can be seen in FIG. 3 that the return tape 3, laid almost at the middle of the width B in the loop 4, is provided with a node 9 at its rear free end. Thus, a closed loop wrapping once a hygroscopic strip 2 in the longitudinal direction, i.e. Absorbent strip 2 is located inside the loop. After the hygroscopic strip 2 and the return tape 3 are prepared in this way and placed relative to each other, they are additionally connected to each other in the next manufacturing step.

To this end, figure 4 shows the layout for welding the return thread 3 with a hygroscopic strip 2. In the exemplary embodiment, the welding is carried out by means of the heated pressing parts 6a, 6b of the welding device 6 located above and below the strip. By means of the pressing surfaces of the pressing parts facing each other 6a, 6b, the return braid 3 is loaded with a certain force under the action of temperature, until a welded joint arises between the absorbent strip 2 and the return braid 3. Depending on the choice of welding parameters such as pressure, temperature, welding time, etc., the return tape 3 is welded only with the nonwoven fabric of the sheath 2b, or even in addition to the cotton strip 2a. As shown in FIG. 4, welding of the return tape 3 occurs along the upper side 11, as well as the lower side 12 of the absorbent strip 2. However, arrangements are possible in which, for example, only one thread is welded either from the upper side or from the lower side. Instead of welding, gluing is also possible, for example.

On figa-5c shows the transfer of the absorbent strip 2 from its cubic shape or shape in the form of a shovel, essentially, in a cylindrical shape, in three stages. At the first stage (Fig. 5a), a hygroscopic strip 2 with a central tape located on it and, if necessary, fixed by welding with a return tape 3 is positioned between two press shoes 7 moving radially against each other. Then, the hygroscopic strip 2 is compressed by a simple or multi-stage pressing according to Fig. 5b and Fig. 5c into an almost cylindrical shape, with the initially flat strip 2 being folded with the formation of several bends 16, 17 into several layers 8. The bending, respectively, folding occurs in a zigzag, almost W-shaped in cross section. In this case, the edge length L (FIG. 3b) of the strip 2 is maintained, i.e. it approximately corresponds to the length of the finished swab between its input and its posterior end.

The bends 16, 17 already completed at the beginning of the deformation lead to a limitation, at least, to a delay in the lateral mobility of the return thread 3 and, as a result, during the further pressing of the strip 2 into the final shape of the tampon, the thread does not slide or lose. This advantage is achieved, despite the already described possibility of welding or gluing the return thread at the previous stage of manufacture. In addition, it is possible to lay the sheath 2b around the strip 2 of material only at that moment in which the return thread 3 is already laid in a loop around the corresponding strip 2.

After shaping, i.e. pressing, the tampon is then inserted into the sleeve of the tampon applicator. Such applicators, composed mainly of two sleeves of a polymeric material with the possibility of telescopic movement in each other are known.

Compared with the prior art, a tampon or a method for its manufacture achieves a reduction in manufacturing time. So, for example, currently known machines for the manufacture of tampon applicators can hardly produce more than 70 tampons per minute on one failed endless tape of material. For a larger number of tampons, it would be necessary to bring several endless material tapes to the machine. These shortcomings are overcome by wrapping the return thread so that up to 120 tampons per minute can be produced on an endless belt and inserted into appropriate applicators.

Reference List

1. Swab

2. Hygroscopic strip

2a. Cotton tape

2b. Shell

3. Return thread

4. Loop, belt loops

5. Endless material

6. Welding device

6a. Upper push part

6b. Lower pressure part

7. Radial shoe press

8. Layer

9. Node

10. Notch, slot

11. Upper side

12. The bottom side

13. Knife

14. Shoe device

15. Shoe device

16. Inflection

17. Kink

In width

L Length.

Claims (11)

1. A tampon with an insertion end and a rear end, consisting of a pressed absorbent strip (2) of width (B) and a length (L) corresponding to the length (L) of the edges of the strip (2) and approximately the length of the finished tampon between the insertion end and the rear end, and a return thread (3) withdrawn from the rear end, and the return thread (3) in the form of a loop is twisted once around the strip (2), approximately in the middle of the width (B) in the length direction (L) and provided on its rear free end node (9), characterized in that the strip with the same length (L) is folded in a zigzag fashion several layers, between which is formed a few kinks (16, 17) and on each side of the loop is executed one inflection (16, 17). 2. A tampon according to claim 1, characterized in that the strip (2) is pressed in a zigzag fashion with the formation of kinks (16, 17) and has a substantially cylindrical shape. 3. A tampon according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the return thread (3) is pinched by its loop (4) in the section of the pivot point in the short cut (10) strip (2) on one side in the length direction (L) or notch. 4. A tampon according to claim 1, characterized in that the hygroscopic strip (2) is composed of a fiber or cotton strip (2a) suitable for accumulating liquid and a sheath (2b) covering it. 5. A tampon according to claim 4, characterized in that the return thread (3) is connected to the absorbent strip (2) or to the sheath (2b) by welding. 6. A tampon according to claim 4, characterized in that the return thread (3) is glued with an absorbent strip (2) or with a sheath (2b). 7. A tampon according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the return thread (3) is welded or glued both along the upper side (11) of the strip (2) and along its lower side (12). 8. A method of manufacturing a tampon from a hygroscopic strip connected to the return thread (3) (3), comprising the following steps:
a) separating the absorbent strip (2) of width (B) and length (L) corresponding to the length of the edge of the strip (2) and approximately the length of the finished swab between the inserted end and the rear end;
b) wrap the strip (2) around with a return thread (3) approximately in the middle of the width (B) in the length direction (L);
c) knot the return thread (3) at the rear free end;
d) fold the strip (2) with the same length (L) in a zigzag pattern in several layers by pressing the shoes (7) moving towards each other with the formation of kinks (16, 17) of the strip (2) on each side of the loop (4);
e) carry out simple or multi-stage pressing of the strip (2) with giving it approximately cylindrical shape. 9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that the strip (2) is provided with a shell (2b). 10. The method according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the return thread (3) is connected to the absorbent strip (2) or to the sheath (2b) by welding. 11. The method according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the return thread (3) is connected to the absorbent strip (2) or to the sheath (2b) by gluing.

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